Murder accused held after 150km car chase

THE MURDER ACCUSED WAS IDENTIFIED AS AKSHAY DAGAR, WHO GOT INVOLVED IN CRIME AFTER GETTING HIS DEGREE IN 2015, POLICE OFFICIALS SAID

NEW DELHI: A 150-kilometre car chase through Haryana ended with the arrest of a 25-year-old man wanted in a double murder case in the national capital, the Delhi Police’s special cell said on Monday.

The murder accused was identified as Akshay Dagar. According to Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police, Dagar got involved in crime after getting his engineering degree in 2015. Dagar got his engineering degree from a college in Haryana’s Bahadurgarh, police said.

Giving details of the double murder case, the police said on May 2, Dagar had allegedly gunned down two rival gangsters, Sandeep alias Mental and Pawan, in Dwarka’s Bamnoli village while the duo was heading to a city court to attend a hearing.

The police said a property dispute between two gangs had led to the double murder.

Dagar had remained on the run even after his partner in crime Rajiv alias Monu was arrested in June.

Investigators said they were on Dagar’s trail for the past five months. “Last Wednesday, we zeroed down on his hideout in a village near Kalka town in Haryana. But the circumstances did not allow us to approach the house,” said an investigator who was involved in the chase.

On Thursday, a six-member police team spotted Dagar leaving the house with a Delhi woman in a silver coloured Baleno.

“We signalled him to stop, but he sped away. We immediately launched a chase in our two private cars. We even sought backup from Delhi to intercept the car on the way,” said the officer.

According to senior police officials, Dagar was driving “dangerously and at high speed” to keep ahead on the National Highway 1.

“On multiple occasions, he took the narrow streets of adjoining villages to get rid of the tail. One of our cars chased him through those streets while our other vehicle kept on the highway,” said the officer.

Dagar managed to take service roads at toll plazas, the police said. “We lost his sight once near Ambala, but were again able to spot him quickly,” said the officer.

Dagar’s luck ran dry near Karnal when the backup police team, consisting of five officers, intercepted the Baleno. A pistol and two cartridges were recovered from him.